By Jerry More Nyazungu
They say in business you’ll face betrayals, losses, and heartbreaks. But nothing prepares you for emotional betrayal dressed in a suit and tie. Especially when it’s your “best friend” doing the hiring… of your former enemy.
Let me take you back.
We were brothers. Not blood brothers, but brothers forged through dreams, sweat, and the iron plates of the gym. We worked out together, played golf together, shared business ideas okay fine, I shared more than he did, but you get the point. I trusted him like family. I used to speak highly of him at every opportunity because honestly, he’s brilliant. One of the most successful entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe. A business genius. The kind of guy you could put in a desert and he’d still open a car wash and make money.
And me? I wasn’t just his hype man. I was his guy. I’m the one who registered his company when it was just an idea. As if that wasn’t enough, I was even a trustee in his family trust imagine! When things were tough, I’d borrow from him. When his chips were down, he’d borrow from me. It wasn’t just friendship it was brotherhood. We both benefited from the relationship, at least in my view. Even today, I still use some of the strategies he taught me in my business. That’s how deep it was.
Enter Sharon: The Plot Twist No One Asked For
One day, my good brother calls me:
“Bro, I need a strong Accounts person. Someone solid.”
I said, “No problem! Just make sure you interview well. You’ll get someone.”
A week later, he drops a bomb like he’s delivering pizza.
“Guess who applied? Sharon.”
I paused. “Sharon who?”
“The one who used to work for you.”
My heart? It dropped faster than the Wi-Fi at a rural lodge.
You mean that Sharon? The one I fired? The one I was fighting in court? The one who was part of the legal drama that made me lose sleep and take antacids like vitamins? The same Sharon who owed me $400 for three months and acted like she had amnesia when I reminded her?
Yes. That Sharon.
I calmly explained the situation to my friend. I told him we had just finished a court battle. That she still owed me money. That it was not personal, but I had good reasons for firing her.
A few days later, he calls again, cheerful like nothing happened:
“Bro, I’ve decided to hire her. She’s the only one cutting it.”
You know those moments when your brain stops working, like a kombi engine at a police roadblock? That was me.
What Cut Deeper Than a Court Summons
Look I wasn’t angry that Sharon got a job. Everyone deserves a second chance. But I saw clearly what my friend valued more. After everything we had been through helping him train his employee for free for three months, fighting side by side through tough seasons he still chose Sharon.
That moment taught me something:
Business is war. Without bullets.
And in war, you don’t cry about loyalty. You adapt. You think. You detach.
I realised that in business, emotions are a liability. You can love someone like a brother, but when it comes to decisions, logic must be your CEO.
So I walked away.
Not in bitterness. Not in anger. But with clarity.
I still admire him. I still respect his hustle. And I genuinely want him to win because real ones don’t wish failure on anyone.
But from a distance.
Because in this life, you must learn when to clap for someone from the grandstands and not from the inner circle.
Lessons From This Heartbreak in a Suit
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1. Loyalty in business is rare. Never assume people will value your friendship over their bottom line.
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2. Business and friendship don’t always mix. Keep boundaries clear.
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5. Never invest emotions in business. Invest logic. It pays higher returns.
So next time you feel like mixing business with besties ask yourself:
“If things go south, will this person still value me or just hire Sharon?”
